


A Broken Wing

by Moonrose91



Category: Tinker Bell (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, background Iridessa/Silvermist, don't want to put that into the relationship tag or the category till they're less background
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-27
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-04-17 12:19:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4666317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonrose91/pseuds/Moonrose91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some things can't be healed, not even by powerful, previously unknown, magic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. There is No Cure

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS FOR _SECRET OF THE WINGS_ BELOW!!!!
> 
> Series of things I have put into this AU.
> 
>   * In the first movie, Tinker Bell is called 'tiny' and 'small' a great deal. So I imagine her being a _lot_ shorter and it reflects. She looks up at _Iridessa_ , who seems to be the shortest (it is really hard to tell because everyone flies at different levels) of Tink's friends. SO I IMAGINE TINK AS LIKE THE TINIEST OF TINY FAIRIES. [Also, Periwinkle is the tiniest of tiny fairies. Now, there are others that are also that short, but it is pretty rare for Fairies to be that short. Fairy Mary is one (she seems on the short side, but again, all the flying around makes it super hard and I don't have the books or any visual guides beyond quick moments of them actually being on the ground).]  
>    
> 
>   * Tinker Bell is going to be permanently disabled. Her wing is not going to be healed. I did debate making it more injured than in canon (such as the wing frozen and 'broken' apart), but I decided I'll just leave it as it is. Mostly. You'll see.  
> 
> 

> 
> I think that's about it. I mean, I spoiled the heck out of Secret of the Wings (sorry folks), but there we go.

The cold felt like it was rushing _through_ Tinker Bell as she raced to the Winter Woods, her wings struggling the longer she was in the air.

She pushed onward however, glancing over her shoulder on occasion, not only to see if the glow was starting, but to also check on her wings. Now, unlike the first time she had crossed the border, she could _feel_ the freeze touching her wings. She picked up speed, just as the glow started and she focused forward.

“Periwinkle!” she shouted, before she glanced over her shoulder and forward again.

Her wings were starting to lose feeling to them, except in the center, which ached more than they had ever ached before.

She heard Periwinkle shouting her name in response and before she could really respond, a sharp pain cut through her left wing before it all went numb. She found herself crashing to the ground, the snow billowing up around her as the periwinkle flower and her coat flew from her arms.

She slowly sat up, shaking her head slightly and tried to move her wings, only to let out a sharp gasp when the pain seemed to lance up her wing and to her neck. She shivered as she looked over her left shoulder, eyes widening in horror as she saw the rip that practically took off the entire top half of her left wing.

She felt herself cover her mouth, the tears welling up in her eyes, as she realized she would never fly on her own again. “Tinker Bell!” Periwinkle exclaimed and Tink forced her mind away from her wing, focusing on the still alive periwinkle flower and how it could help the Pixie Dust Tree.

* * *

The golden pixie dust burst forth from the Tree and filled the ice covered world with a golden glow. All around her, Fairies dropped their blankets and took off, flying around, omitting Lord Milori, Queen Clarion, Dewey, Fairy Mary, Rosetta, and, surprisingly enough, Vidia.

Well, and herself.

She would never be doing that again.

She watched them fly around and swallowed sharply when Periwinkle shouted, “Tink! Come on!”

She felt herself curl in on herself before she could stop it and Peri was already coming back down to her. “Tink, what’s wrong?” she asked quietly.

Slowly, Tink turned around so her back was facing Peri and removed her jacket. She heard Peri gasp and Tink closed her eyes tightly. “When you flew to Winter, that’s why you fell,” Periwinkle stated and Tink felt her sister reach out to touch her shoulder.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked and Tink opened her eyes to find that Peri was in front of her.

“We needed to save the Pixie Dust Tree. And…there’s no cure for a broken wing,” Tink answered and Peri made a sound, tears welling up in her eyes.

“This wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t tried to keep you apart,” Lord Milori stated as Peri held onto Tink’s hands.

“Never again,” Queen Clarion stated, but Tink was barely listening. She could feel the air warming up around her, her wing twinging with pain.

“It’s starting to get warmer,” Tink warned and Peri grabbed her wrist tightly.

Like she didn’t want to let go.

“You need to head back to Winter. Don’t worry. I’ll see you tomorrow, at the Border,” Tink said.

“Make that a few days,” Fairy Mary cut in and Tink looked over, even as Peri grabbed onto her tighter, ignoring how both Gliss and Spike were trying to encourage her to at least start flying.

“What?” Tink asked.

“You’re going to be out of it for a day, at least, dear. You can’t leave your wing like that,” Fairy Mary stated and Tink was sure she was as pale as Peri when she fully understood what Fairy Mary was telling her.

Tink felt her wing twitch and the pain race along her wing and she let out a cry, curling forward slightly.

“Tink!” Periwinkle exclaimed, following her around, holding onto Tink, even as Tink half-noticed Vidia taking off.

“Oh, I was afraid of that,” Fairy Mary murmured, even as Periwinkle held her stand up.

“What?” Tink asked, even as she looked over her shoulder.

Her eyes widened as Periwinkle clutched onto her tighter, seeing where once her wing had been held together by a bit, it was now half gone.

“Peri…Sisters?” Tinker Bell offered, slowly turning around, though her arm stayed in Peri’s grip and _making_ her wings lift, even if it hurt.

“Sisters,” Periwinkle agreed, letting Tink’s arm go so she could lift Tink’s wings with her own.

It hurt, especially along the break, but Peri held them up, even as the light swirled around from their wings meeting.

They jumped apart when the light burst forth from their wings, and gave a shout of, “Jingles!”

“They still glow!” Periwinkle exclaimed.

“Tink, they still glow!” she cried, wrapping her arms around Tinker Bell and, with a heave, took into the air, taking Tinker Bell with her, Tinker Bell laughing as she did so.

Tink heard Terence fly up next to them, and below, she saw Vidia land, holding something in her hands. She glared at anyone who came close to her, and it was only the sight of Queen Clarion and Lord Milori kissing that distracted her from Vidia.

“I should’ve known,” Tink said, even as Periwinkle slowly began to lower them back to the ground.

Tinker Bell had half expected Periwinkle to let her go, but instead her sister held on tighter, refusing to loosen her grip even the slightest. “Peri, you have to go,” Tink stated and Peri shook her head.

“In two days, Periwinkle,” Lord Milori stated, gently resting his hand on her shoulder as his owl landed on a nearby branch.

“In two days,” Peri promised and Tink nodded.

“Two days,” Tink agreed and only then did Periwinkle pull away, and then she was flying away in a glimmer of gold.

“Don’t worry Tink, we’ll look out for her,” Gliss promised.

“And we’ll do the same for Tink,” Fawn promised.

Gliss nodded and took off, Spike following quickly after her. Lord Milori paused before he got up on his owl, giving Queen Clarion and small smile before he urged his owl into the sky, the Winter Faeries following after him.

“Tink,” Vidia stated and Tink looked over at her, eyes widening to see Vidia, carefully, holding the half of Tink’s wing that had broken off.

“I wasn’t sure what you wanted to do with this, so I caught it for you,” she stated.

“Don’t think too much on this,” Vidia added with a small glare.

“Tinker Bell,” Fairy Mary called and Tinker Bell looked over at them.

“We need to get you to the Healing Talent Faeries,” Queen Clarion stated and Tink nodded.

“Right,” she answered and walked over to where they waited.

She let out a startled sound when Queen Clarion carefully picked her up and with a flutter of her Pixie Dust wings, began to fly towards the Fairy Healing Tree.


	2. Further News (a short bridge chapter)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize, profusely, for basically not updating for practically a year.
> 
> It has....been a year.
> 
> So this chapter is short (about 700 words) and is mostly a bridging chapter. We'll go into Tink's wings and how they look in the next chapter, this is mostly internal stuff.
> 
> And Tink being Tink as in the movies.

"Easy there, raindrop, Silvermist's got you," Silvermist soothed softly as Tinker Bell felt herself coming to after being put to sleep by the Healing Talent fairies, scrunching up her nose slightly as she felt Silvermist petting it like she had the day Cheese had run from the Thistles.

"Silvermist?" she croaked out and Silvermist brought up a little bubble of water to her lips.

"Yeah, I'm here raindrop. You're going to be a bit drowsy and out of it, but that's normal. Or so the Healing Talent Fairies tell me. They had to go off to help some others, but they'll be back soon. I don't think they thought you were going to wake up so soon," Silvermist stated as Tink sipped at the water bubble.

“Is the light low enough Sil?” Iridessa asked softly and Silvermist nodded.

“Yes. Thank you Dessa,” Silvermist responded and gently pet Tinker Bell’s nose again.

“You rest now raindrop,” Silvermist soothed and Tinker Bell frowned as the water bubble was deposited back in a cup, already feeling the drag of sleep pulling her back under.

* * *

Tinker Bell groaned as she opened her eyes again and she found one of the Healing Talent fairies standing there. “Hello, dear, how are you feeling?” she asked.

“Thirsty. Tired,” Tinker Bell rasped out and the Healer Talent fairy nodded, brown hair bouncing next to her face.

“That’s to be expected. You were out for most of the day after Queen Clarion brought you here,” she stated and Tinker Bell slowly tried to sit up, only to let out a sharp cry of pain and fall back onto the bed.

She heard a squeak, and Blaze was suddenly looking her straight in the face, eyes wide as he stared at her. “Oh, he’s back. He showed up half-way through the procedure and hovered for a bit until your friend, Fawn, got him to leave,” she stated as Tinker Bell, slowly, lifted her arm, and pulled Blaze into a light hug.

“Procedure?” Tinker Bell asked.

“Yes. Do you want us to call someone specific?” she inquired and Tinker Bell opened her mouth before she closed it again.

“My friends?” she asked quietly.

“Silvermist, Iridessa, Vidia, Fawn, Rosetta, Terence, Clank, and Bobble?” the Healer Fairy questioned and Tink nodded slowly.

“Well…we’ll have to limit it to Silvermist, Iridessa, Terence, and Bobble, if that’s all right. There’s not enough room for everyone,” she stated and Tinker Bell nodded a little.

The Healer Talent nodded and flew out.

Blaze made concerned squeaks and snuggled closer, which had Tinker Bell petting him, carefully.

* * *

“There was more damage than just the obvious damage, of course. We had to get some of the information from the Keeper about the dangers of a broken wing. The fact it snapped off and then was healed like it was caused some problems, so we had to do some more removal, for your safety. You’ll likely feel the ache for the rest of your life, but more so on other days. Keep it warm. If you go over to visit the Winter Woods, you’ll need to have someone help with wrapping your wings. Here are the wing exercises to keep them from atrophying. You don’t want to cover them up except for when in Winter, obviously, because you want them to keep moving about. Keep up those wing muscles as best you can! But, if any problems start, come talk to us,” the Healing Talent fairy explained and Tink felt herself gawping at them as she stared.

Blaze let out a concerned sound and cuddled against Tink’s abdomen and Terence placed a gentle hand on Tink’s shoulder.

“How…how am I going to get into my home?” Tink asked and Bobble jumped slightly.

“Oh, don’t you worry about that Miss Bell! Clank and I built you stairs!” Bobble exclaimed and Tink nodded slowly as Blaze made more concerned squeaking.

She pet him a little and the Healing Talent fairy gently pat her shoulder. “Just keep up the wing exercises, and maybe speak with Lord Milori. Adjustments will have to be made, but there is nothing anywhere that says you can’t have a full life, even without the ability to fly,” the Healing Talent fairy stated and Tink was sure they were trying to be comforting.

She just…didn’t find it comforting.

She had lost something.

She was never going to fly under her own power ever again.

And…that was going to take some getting used to.

But she was a Tinker Talent fairy, and she would fly again, even if she had to build herself a new pair of wings to do it.


	3. A Crow and Vidia

Tinker Bell ignored how her half-wing ached as she fluttered her wings through the exercises.

She knew she would never again achieve flight under her own power, but she had flown in her pixie dust balloon, she could build something to fly again!

Just…not anywhere near the other Fairies.

She understood they were trying to be helpful, but like Terence when she was building the scepter, they _weren’t_ being helpful! They were just pushy and encroaching on her space, and _hovering_!

She couldn’t _stand_ the hovering! _Especially_ Vidia!

So, at the first chance she had managed, Tinker Bell had rushed off to be alone to practice her wing exercises. She sighed as she slowly sat down on the rock and then paused when she saw something shiny.

“A Lost Thing!” she gasped and quickly hopped down to head to.

She giggled upon picking up the rather large silver circle, a face stamped on it. She shook her head a little at that and began to roll it with her as she found a needle, then a large metal basket. She considered and then stuck the needle in the basket and dragged it behind her as she rolled the circle along.

She continued to poke around, debating picking up this Lost Thing or that Lost Thing. She was surprised by how _many_ there were!

She paused when she heard a rustle above her and she looked up, blinking a little in surprise to see Crows following her. “Oh, hello! Are…these yours?” she questioned, but the Crows didn’t answer her.

One let out an inquiring caw, but she couldn’t understand him. “Ah, right. I’m not an Animal Talent Fairy. Can’t…understand you. Sorry,” she responded and she was surprised when the Crow glided down.

He eyed her and then shuffled to the side, picking up a button on the ground before he held it out to her. “Oh, thank you, but…I can’t. I can’t carry it with me. I just have this big silver circle and this basket,” she explained and the Crow put down the button.

He then hopped over and picked up one of those metal bendy things. He then promptly began to uncurl it, until it had a hook at one end. He let out a pleased caw and then began to put the button on it.

“Wow, that’s amazing!” Tink said and dropped her Lost Things to fly up to see.

She let out a yelp of pain as her wings flutter, and the Crows all let out little rewl sounds. “No, no, it….well, it isn’t okay, but I lost most of my wing,” Tink explained and carefully lifted the injured wing, half gone and carefully rounded off instead of a jagged edge.

The Crow carefully set down the hook he had made and leaned down to investigate. He rerwled and the other Crows began to land around her. They didn’t crowd, mostly seemed curious and, once that curiosity was assuaged, they flew back up into the trees, except the one who was helping her.

He promptly went back to hooking buttons that would fit onto his hook.

Tink giggled and continued to pick up small things. She didn’t notice the time until she heard a faint buzzing and then Blaze was in her face, squeaking at her in an irritated fashion. “Blaze, what?” Tink asked, only to find that it was nearly sunset.

“Oh. Sorry,” Tink said and Blaze let out a long sigh, his little light flashing.

Tink gave an apologetic shrug and then picked up her mostly full metal basket of Lost Things. He chirred and held out his, bent closed, circle of buttons. “Oh, I would love to accept it, but I can’t carry it,” Tink said and the Crow gave a nod, before he picked it up in his beak and took off.

Tink sighed and turned to follow Blaze back to Tinker’s Nook. “Tink! Tinker Bell! Tink!” Vidia shouted and Tink bit back her groan.

“Down here Vidia!” she shouted and set her metal basket down to wave at Vidia.

She glanced around on the ground before she buzzed down to Tink. “Are you alright? Are you okay? Are you injured? Where _were you_?” Vidia exclaimed and Tink stumbled back slightly, barely able to keep herself from landing on her back.

Vidia gasped and zipped back before she rushed forward again. “Tink, I’m so sorry,” she said as she quickly offered to help Tink up to her feet.

She sighed, but accepted it and began to brush herself off. “It is fine, Vidia, really,” Tink said, trying not to sound too strained.

Tink just couldn’t wrap her head around it, really. Vidia was _not_ one to hover. She wasn’t really sure if _any_ of them were really _hoverers_ , but she figured Rosetta came pretty close, so long as everyone was clean.

“Are you sure?” Vidia asked and Tink nodded, knowing speaking would end _poorly_.

She had been doing better with her temper since the time she built the Scepter. She would like to keep it that way.

“Oh, good. You, uh, need any help?” Vidia asked and Tink considered.

“Yeah. Can you help me roll this circle?” she asked and Vidia hesitated before she nodded.

“Sure Tink. So…what tinker-y thing are you going to do with it?” Vidia questioned and Tink snorted at that.

“Not sure yet, but I’ll think of something,” Tink responded and Vidia gave a humorless laugh.

It was twilight before they got back to Tinker’s Nook, Vidia flying the circle up for Tink.

“Thanks Vidia,” Tink said, feeling calmer.

“Yeah, sure, whatever. Bye Tink!” Vidia answered and then rushed off.

Tink sighed with slightly relief, even as she smiled and shook her head.

 _There_ was Vidia.

* * *

Tink startled when she heard something like a knock on her door. She blinked a bit and stumbled to her door, opening it to the grey skies of pre-dawn. She yawned about to go back when she noticed something.

She blinked a few times and then smiled when she saw it was the metal bendy thing with the buttons on it, out of the circle. She looked around for the Crow, but he seemed to have left and she smiled a little, then began to drag it in.

She knew _exactly_ what she was going to be making, but first, she was going to need some rope.


	4. The Long-Awaited (one week) Visit to the Winter Woods

The Crow picked at the strung together gleaming, broken, Lost Things. "It is something to…well, you seem to like Lost Things, and I figured you would appreciate this. It…doesn't really do anything, I guess. I just thought you might like it because they are pretty," Tink explained, as the Crow seemed to be figuring out what it was.

He let out a low 'rewel' and carefully picked it up before he flew-hopped over to where more Lost Things had been gathered. Tink immediately followed after him and grinned when she noticed he set it to the side. He then promptly picked up a bobbin out of the pile and set it in front of her. “I can really use this to make a cart! Or a wheelbarrow! Or a  _wheel_  for an improved fairy dust balloon!” Tink exclaimed excitedly and she half-hopped, half-fluttered up onto the bobbin.

It hurt a little, alright, a lot, and she shouldn't have done it, but not as badly as a week ago.

No, no, that was a lie, it hurt just as much.

She groaned and reached over to grasp at her shoulder, and the Crow, her Crow she guessed, made a low sound, like a merp. He gently nudged her with his beak and she smiled, petting his beak carefully. "It is okay, just trying to get used to the idea of not being able to do that," she said and her Crow hesitated before he stood up.

"Thank you for the bobbin though. It is perfect," she added with a grin and her Crow fluffed up slightly.

The other Crows obviously had been waiting for that and they promptly started to glide down. One by one, they began to show off other things, likely what they had found and Tink was delighted. Within what seemed only a breath of time, she was braiding rings and buttons into ropes that the Crows helped her make. They seemed to enjoy it as much as Tink did, and she blinked a little when she noticed they were starting to fly them up into the trees. "What are they doing with them?" she asked her Crow, who let out excited rewring.

She gave a soft huff and looked back up, watching as the Crows hung them around. Her Crow then let out a caw and Tink let out an excited gasp as the Crows pulled, allowing the sunlight to catch the jewels of the rings and they sparkled. “That’s  _amazing_!” Tink exclaimed, hopping up to stand on the top of the bobbin.

The Crows seemed very pleased that she liked it and she grinned, before it slipped away with a low groan as she heard Vidia calling her name. Tink's Crow let out a rewrp and looked toward where Vidia's voice was coming from.

Tink didn't hesitate to reach out to gentle run her hand over his feathers. He looked down at her, tilting his head to the side.

“It is okay. Vidia is a friend, one of my best friends, which is a little ironic, and I love her, but she…hovers. It is getting bothersome,” Tink explained and her Crow let out a rough caw.

He then leaned his head down and gently nudged her, carefully, with his beak, before he took off. The other Crows seemed very upset by this, though so did Tink’s Crow, but they followed his lead, the Crows cutting off the sunlight as they did so.

“Tink!” Vidia shouted.

“Over here Vidia,” Tink called, noticing that her Crow hadn’t gone far.

Vidia zoomed over and she almost seemed to heave a sigh of relief. “There you are! Did you forget you were cleared to go to the Winter Woods today? We’ve been looking for you everywhere!” she exclaimed and Tink let out an excited gasp, her wings beginning to flutter.

“I did! Oh, we have to go! But…all the Lost Things,” Tink said and Vidia hesitated.

“After, okay? Clank and Bobble can get Cheese and we’ll come up here to get it, okay? I promise,” Vidia said and Tink sighed, nodding.

“Good. So, uh, give you a lift?” Vidia asked and Tink hesitated before nodding.

Vidia gave a quick nod and quickly picked Tink up before taking off with her.

* * *

Tink grinned as she bundled herself up in her jacket, wings safely tucked and wrapped under it. She didn’t mind the way Vidia was hovering around her. “Tink!” Periwinkle shouted.

“Peri!” Tink responded and laughed at Periwinkle rushed down, hugging her tightly.

“Wings,” Tink said and Periwinkle made a sound, instantly letting her go.

“Sorry,” she said and Tink laughed, hugging Periwinkle as she accepted her twin’s apology.

She pointedly ignored Vidia’s muttering and Periwinkle carefully grabbed Tink’s hand. “Come on! Spike and Gliss put together another ice sliding race!” she squealed, fluttering off, leading Tink by the hand.

“What’s ice sliding?” Vidia demanded, flying after them.

Gliss laughed and squealed at that, darting around them. “To commemorate when you first visited the Winter Woods!”

“That was only a week ago Gliss,” Spike remarked.

“And? Still something to commemorate!” Gliss squealed and Tink laughed at the, easily following after Periwinkle’s tugging.

“What. Is. Ice. Sliding?” Vidia demanded through gritted teeth.

“Oh, it is when we push the Warm Fairy down a hill of ice!” Gliss answered.

“ _What_?” Vidia half screeched.

“Fly. Fly now,” Tink said and Spike didn’t hesitate to grab Tink to take off, Gliss and Periwinkle at her heels.

Vidia let out a little shriek, but somehow she didn’t come tearing after them. Tink let out a little sigh of relief and Spike chuckled.

“She going a little nutso?” Spike asked.

“She’s  _hovering_. I get it, really, I do, but the hovering isn’t  _helping_ ,” Tink grumbled and Spike shrugged a little.

Periwinkle fluttered around so she could fly in front of Spike and Tink, Gliss still twirling around the three of them. “Well, it makes sense. I mean, I knew Lord Milori had a broken wing. Mostly, we’re worried about you not having an animal companion. I mean, the Keeper has Fiona, he has some flying issues,” she explained.

“And his cane! Between the two, he does fairly well on his own, and Lord Milori has Aubin! Though Aubin is the First, so I don’t really know if that  _counts_  or not,” Gliss explained.

Spike sighed and Tink could practically  _hear_  her roll her eyes. “It counts. It just means that Lord Milori can talk to  _all_  Snowy Owls, not just his companion, unlike the Keeper with Fiona,” Spike said.

“First?” Tink asked.

“Oh! All animals in Pixie Hollow, and surrounding areas, are magical, like us. They have higher intelligence and can assist in having a chosen Fairy understand them, even if they aren’t an Animal-Talent Fairy,” Gliss explained excitedly, nearly crashing into Periwinkle.

“Gliss!” Spike and Periwinkle exclaimed at the same time.

“Sorry,” Gliss said and twisted away.

“Now, ice sliding?” she asked as she waved a hand to where sleds were being built by both Warm and Winter Fairies alike.

“I call Tink!” Periwinkle called and Spike snorted at that.

“What a surprise,” she said as she set Tink down on her feet in the snow, carefully.

Gliss landed as well, wings fluttering excitedly. “I call Spike!” she shouted and grabbed Spike’s arm before pulling her off.

Tink and Periwinkle watched them hurry off before turning to each other. The moment their eyes met, they instantly began to break down in giggles.

* * *

“Why did you stop me?” Vidia demanded of Rosetta, who tutted slightly and tapped Vidia’s nose.

She scrunched up and she looked around at her friends, _their_ friends. “They’re going to push her _down a hill of ice_!” she half-shouted, her voice strangled.

“Sugar, she’s done it before with not being able to fly. I think she’ll be fine,” Rosetta stated and Vidia startled slightly at that.

“Yeah, I mean, Gliss did say it was to commemorate her coming to the Winter Woods the first time. And she couldn’t fly then. She was wearing that coat of hers,” Fawn continued.

“And they’ll take care of her Vidia,” Silvermist promised gently.

“I’m with Vidia,” Iridessa muttered.

“Oh, shush,” Rosetta said as Vidia’s wings began to beat faster, the powdery snow behind her starting to pick up in a swirl.

“But what if she _falls_? What if they can’t _catch her_?” Vidia asked, starting to climb slightly, and Rosetta flew up, gently squeezing Vidia’s shoulders.

“You’ve gotta _breathe_ , sugar. Tink’s going to be _fine_. She has three fairies watching over her. Besides, this is the last time Tink will really get to hang out with them, because they’ll be leaving for the changin’ of the seasons. Tink’s not gonna be able to stay all that long, either. There’s a Healin’ Talent Fairy right over there. She’ll be _fine_ , I promise,” Rosetta said calmly and Vidia’s wings began to slow slightly.

“Alright. Yeah, you’re right. She’ll be fine. She’s done this before. Unable to fly,” Vidia said, her tone  _almost_ back to normal.

Rosetta smiled as she began to lightly push Vidia back toward the snow, which had Vidia huffing. She shook her way out of Rosetta's grip and crossed her arms, giving Rosetta a slight glare down her nose. Rosetta muttered lowly at that and sniffed slightly. "Well, now that's taken care of, let’s go ice skating! Sled said it was just _heavenly_ ,” Rosetta responded and began to walk toward the frozen pond.

Vidia scoffed and muttered something about how she should have gone with Spike to see what the ice sliding was all about.

“Is it just me or is Vidia being a _tad_ more stressed about this than the rest of us?” Fawn asked.

“No, it isn’t just you. Maybe it is because she’s a Fast- _Flying_ Talent?” Iridessa questioned, glancing toward Silvermist.

“I don’t think that’s it,” Silvermist said and Iridessa made a noise.

“Don’t worry Dessa, I’m sure it’ll work out,” Fawn said and rushed off after Rosetta and Vidia.

“You think it will?” Iridessa asked.

“I think we should go ice skating,” Silvermist said with a small smile, holding her hand out to Iridessa.

Iridessa smiled and took her hand, the pair flying off after their friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ......What?
> 
> I can have lesbian Fairies.


	5. Hiding

“Hide me!” Tinker Bell whispered as she dove under Queen Clarion’s desk in the Pixie Dust tree, Blaze following her quickly, burrowing himself against her side, hiding his light against her side.

It had taken asking one of her Crow friends to carry her in one of the extra nets she had made, since she had no idea how to ride on their back yet, climbing up some mushrooms growing on the tree, and then asking Terence to carry her up to the window to do it, but she was there. “What? Tinker Bell, what are you talking about?” Queen Clarion questioned, just as Vidia zipped past, shouting Tinker Bell’s name.

“They’re driving me completely out of the air _bonkers_! The only one who doesn’t hover is Terence and that’s because he remembers from when he helped me with the Scepter! And he still does that half-hover _thing_! Even _Silvermist_ is hovering and she started off calm!” Tinker Bell whispered as she pushed herself more under the desk, her wings pressed against her back.

It hurt a little and Blaze shifted a little closer, as if he knew.

Queen Clarion gave Tinker Bell a small smile. “Oh, I see. What brought it about?” she asked gently as she sat back enough to look down at Tinker Bell.

“Oh, uh…I may have slipped? I had set up a series of nets though! Around my house and everything! But everyone _panicked_ and it was just…they all freaked out! That was two weeks ago! I didn’t even get to say good-bye to Peri because they were panicking so much. It was why I slipped,” she admitted quietly and tucked herself a little tighter under the desk.

That _really_ made her half-wing ache along with her right wing.

Queen Clarion’s wings shifted down slightly at that as her smile turned sad. “I think I have a solution,” she said and Tinker Bell perked up a little at that.

“Yeah?” she asked quietly, her wings flicking up slightly with her excitement, the right pressed against the underside of the desk while her left didn’t go near it.

Queen Clarion gave a nod, the smile on her face growing almost fond.

* * *

Tinker Bell, dressed for the Winter Woods, kept her arms wrapped around Redleaf’s shoulders as he easily carried her, like every other fairy in Pixie Hollow really, toward the Border.

The Minister of Autumn had been his usual unflappable self when he had been asked by Queen Clarion to carry her around as he had. She knew him to be unflappable due to the fact he had _barely reacted_ upon seeing the Moon Stone in _pieces_!

She was pretty sure that was the _definition_ of unflappable. If someone looked up the word, under the definition would be a picture of Redleaf. She felt herself looking up at him, trying to piece together how he felt about all of this, chewing on her lip idly.

Unlike most of the Warm Fairies, he seemed to be the calmest, while the rest also went into out of the air frantics regarding her loss of the wing.

Well, Fairy Mary went into frantics, and Tinker Bell had been handed Clank and Bobble’s delivery route. Which lead to her going through all the sections of Pixie Hollow, and then there was…well, the Ministers of Spring and Summer.

And all the fairies that didn’t know her very well, beyond rumors and here-say.

She tried not to think about it too much or she went red in the face and kicked at things. Or went to hide with the Crows for a couple of hours.

“You have a question,” the Minister of Autumn said quietly.

Tinker Bell startled slightly at that and looked away, face heated. “Yes,” she agreed quietly.

“You may ask. I may not answer it, but it never hurts anything to ask, my dear,” he responded.

Tinker Bell resisted the urge to shift and huffed instead. “Why are you the only one not,” she began to ask, only to trail off.

“Panicking myself right out of the air?” he finished and she tilted her head slightly.

“Or doing that face. That ‘oh no you poor dear, however will you survive’ face,” she added, knowing her voice went high-pitched and mocking on the line.

“I _really_ hate that face,” she muttered quietly.

Redleaf almost seemed to _chuckle_ at that. “Because, my dear, I know better. You made a scepter, with help from Terence to make something with shattered pieces of the Moon Stone that I am also sure was an accident,” he answered and Tinker Bell ducked her head slightly.

“I was guessing, though I also saw that balloon you made. You went right over the Autumn Wood, after all. All I am concerned about is how you are adjusting. And if I am putting too much pressure on your left wing,” he answered and Tinker Bell almost jumped, before she remembered they were flying.

“Careful,” he murmured.

“Oh, uh, not sure? I mean, it always aches, so I don’t really notice, unless it is a noticeable ache,” she explained and Redleaf frowned slightly at that.

He didn’t comment however and then shifted slightly, slowly coming to land on one of the branches of the autumn trees. “Minister Redleaf?” she questioned and let out a squeak as Redleaf carefully shifted her.

She was surprised when the ache eased in her left wing. “Better?” he asked.

Tinker Bell nodded a little and Redleaf took off once more. As they approached the Border, Tinker Bell noticed that Lord Milori, likely with Aubin, was waiting for them. Not close to the Border, but well within walking distance.

“I was starting to get worried, Minister Redleaf,” Lord Milori said as he walked closer to the Border, though still not stepping onto the tree bridge.

Redleaf carefully landed at the Warm end of the tree bridge. “We had to make a quick stop, Lord Milori,” Redleaf responded as he carefully set Tinker Bell on her feet.

Tinker Bell smiled at that as she bounced a little on the balls of her feet and then stepped up onto the bridge.

She paused and then turned to Redleaf. “Thank you, Minister Redleaf,” she said with a small bow.

Redleaf inclined his head toward her before he took off, and Tinker Bell turned to Lord Milori. He gave her a small smile and inclined his head toward the Winter Woods.

Tinker Bell smiled and quickly crossed across the Border, hurrying over to where he was waiting. “Lord Milori,” she greeted politely with a little deeper bow, though it was rather quick when it made a sharp pain race up her half-wing and into her left shoulder.

“Careful. It will still be rather tender. You’re doing the wing exercises, correct?” Lord Milori responded and began to walk over to Aubin.

Tinker Ball followed him with a quiet sigh she tried to bite back. “Yes, I’m doing my wing exercises, exactly as prescribed. Today is a small exercise day,” Tinker Bell responded with forced politeness.

Lord Milori turned to her and raised an eyebrow. “Sorry,” she said and ducked her head slightly.

“Everyone keeps asking, don’t they?” he asked gently.

“Yes. All the time! I get it! I don’t need to be told, or asked, or _anything_ more than once! And it is part of my routine! I do have one! I may not keep my workshop squeaky clean when I am working on something, but I have a routine! This feels like the scepter thing with Terence all over again!” she ranted, feeling her face heating up all over, likely because it was going red.

She was breathing heavily and she let out an annoyed half-shriek before she kicked at the snow.

“Feel better?” Lord Milori asked gently.

Tinker Bell breathed heavily, feeling herself slowly calming down and she nodded a little. “A bit,” she answered, feeling the tips of her ears heat with her embarrassment that she had blown up like that.

She had been doing so much better with her temper issues too.

“I know the feeling, though the reason I ask is because I didn’t do them. As you may have noticed, my wings don’t move,” Lord Milori explained gently.

Tinker Bell almost asked before she remembered the story Queen Clarion had told her and gave a quiet ‘oh’ instead.

“Come along. I am sure you would like to be far enough away from the Border they can’t see you when they discover your location,” he said and Tink let out a slight groan.

“Oh, blazing bellows, _yes_ ,” she agreed and Lord Milori chuckled, carefully getting up on Aubin’s back.

He then reached down and Tink took his hand, following up the pull so she was settled in front of him, surprisingly enough.

Aubin shifted slightly and with a quiet twitch of Milori’s hands, Aubin took off. Tink let out a sharp squeak of surprise as Aubin began to quickly carry them away from the Border.

* * *

Vidia’s wings were beating so fast that a whirlwind was starting up behind her as Iridessa hyperventilated.

They had met back at the Pixie Dust Tree after searching their respective areas, Fawn the last to return to reveal that Blaze had been leading her on a wild goose chase.

Blaze looked rather proud of himself, suggesting that had been his plan all along.

“But where _is she_?” Vidia exclaimed in a voice pitched so high it made Fawn flinch.

“In the Winter Woods,” Minister Redleaf stated in his usual calm voice.

They turned as one toward his voice in time to watch him land on a branch that would have him almost level. Vidia’s wings beat faster as she gritted her teeth, hands clenching into fists, her neck tensed.

She was likely stopping herself from _shrieking_ ‘what’.

“What?” Vidia croaked out.

“I requested the Minister of Autumn to take Tinker Bell to the Border,” Queen Clarion said as she flew down to land next to Minister Redleaf.

Vidia’s wings beat a little faster, though Slivermist had started to calm Iridessa down. “Why?” Vidia asked.

Queen Clarion hesitated and her wings fluttered once when Minister Redleaf spoke up. “Because she needs to adjust and she cannot do that when everyone is hovering, waiting for her to fall. She spends all of her time running from you, trying to calm _you_ down, and in essence _distracting_ herself that she’s still not processed what has happened,” he said.

He bowed to Queen Clarion and began to fly back toward the Autumn Wood.

“She’s doing fine! She’s…she’s adjusting and tinkering and being _Tinker Bell_!” Vidia argued, her wings beating wildly as she spoke.

“Truly? Then when was the last time she went to the Cove? When was the last time she just tinkered to _tinker_ , not just to make something needed?” Queen Clarion asked and Vidia opened her mouth.

“Before Winter preparations. I think. If she tinkers during the times she’s just disappeared, we haven’t seen it, so that means she’s tinkering and not showing us, _if_ she’s tinkering at all,” Fawn answered and ignored the glare Vidia aimed at her.

“Which isn’t like Tink at all,” Rosetta said as Silvermist ran a comforting hand over Iridessa’s hand.

“No, not at all,” Iridessa agreed.

Vidia began to flutter up and then let out an enraged shout before she shot off. “I’m thinking Tink might not be the only one not adjustin’,” Rosetta said quietly.

“Come on, let’s go after her,” Fawn said as she flew up, rushing after Vidia.

She heard the others following shortly after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I ever told anyone my theory for timelining? Eh, I'll tell everyone anyway.
> 
> The first two movies are in Tinker Bell's first year of life (thus when she makes the Sceptor, she's not even a year old yet, since she was born in Winter, which partially explains why Redleaf, the Minister of Autumn protests a little, but subsides when Fairy Mary reassures him).
> 
>  _Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue_ , she's now 1 year and 6 months.
> 
> I have no idea when _The Pixie Hollow Games_ entirely takes place, especially since it is implied that they spend the entire summer at the tree. I also haven't seen it. I know what happens, but it may get mentioned.
> 
>  _Tinker Bell and the Secret of the Wings_ takes place shortly before her second birthday (and consequently Periwinkle's).
> 
> So yeah, that....might be another reason for their mass panic, worry, and hovering. Tink is about two years old. (Not that that means much for fairies, but still.)
> 
> One of the reasons for this is due to the fact in later movies, Tink is a tad less likely to leap headfirst into situations that are not only dangerous to her, but everyone around her. Unless rescuing a fellow fairy is involved.
> 
> I'm not sure how long after _The Secret of the Wings_ that _The Pirate Fairy_ should take place (and honestly, that's going to take a while for me to figure out, since....almost that entire movie is flying).
> 
> But yeah, that's my thing.


	6. Bits of a Day

Tink leaned over slightly as she looked down at the snowy world below, Milori adjusting his grip on the necklace so he could hold it one-handed. Tink made a quiet sound as he carefully pulled her back so she was almost tucked against him, lowering his hand back down to return to his former grip on the necklace. “Don’t lean too far out. You’ll fall and Aubin will not be able to catch you,” he warned gently.

“Heh, sorry,” Tink answered and craned her head slightly to look at the ground instead of leaning.

She heard Milori chuckle and she craned her head a little more to look at the world of the Winter Woods.

The snow seemed so _endless_ under them, so soft. She almost wanted to reach for it, despite knowing it was far below them and she slowly looked up, noticing the heavy clouds, silvery grey, that circled the top of the mountain, and she tilted her head slightly. “Is Aubin a male owl or a female owl? Fawn admitted to not knowing when I asked,” Tink asked as Aubin began to turn with a small shift of Milori’s hands.

“Aubin is a male owl. You can tell as he is almost entirely pure white. Female Snowy Owls still have dark bands, and to tell between the younger males and females in general, the females have more of those dark bands, so they can hide among the trees of a similar coloring, especially in the snow. While both help with the rearing of chicks, the females are usually the ones who spend most of their time on the nest,” Milori answered gently as Aubin began to make a graceful turn.

Tink let out a quiet sound of enjoyment, hands grasping at Milori’s forearm as Aubin did another turn. Milori gave a soft chuckle and carefully shifted a little. “Hold onto the necklace. That’s the only sturdy place,” he said and Tink shifted her grip so she was holding onto the necklace.

Milori shifted a little, so she was tucked more against him, and let out a two-toned whistle.

There was a shift of the owl under her and she let out a shriek of delight as they began to race toward the ground before Aubin swooped up. Tink laughed brightly, and she heard a quiet answering chuckle from Milori as Aubin swooped once more.

Tink giggled a little more and soon they were gliding over until they came to a place where a tree, or maybe a bramble bush, was curled around what was likely a type of house of frost and ice, frost coating the branches to make a type of covering over what looked like a perch with a platform attatched.

Aubin shifted under them and easily came to land on the perch and Tink looked around, noticing flurls of what looked like flowers in frost form blooming out of the wood of the bramble.

Or tree.

She wasn’t a Garden-fairy, she wasn’t entirely sure _what_ it was.

She felt Milori shift behind her and he was off of Aubin’s back, standing on a platform next to the perch.

If Tink didn’t know Milori couldn’t fly, she would have _sworn_ that was what he had just done. “You can let go now,” Milori said and Tink looked down at her hands, realizing she hadn’t let go of the necklace.

She let out a nervous laugh and carefully released Aubin’s necklace. “Sorry,” she said and Milori gave her a gentle smile.

“It is alright,” he reassured and made a small motion.

“Just swing your offside…right leg up and over Aubin’s neck, then hop down. Any ruffled feathers can be fixed,” he added and Tink carefully followed his directions, smiling when she landed on the platform with only a tiny stumble.

She stood up straight with a grin and Milori gave a nod. “Very good, especially for a first try,” he said and Tink grinned a little more, before she tapped her foot against the platform.

She promptly focused on it and tilted her head slightly, feeling as if something was…odd, with the platform, her wings twitching slightly under her jacket. She shifted and tapped her foot again, then looked over at the perch. She gave a quiet hum, feeling her forehead scrunch and hopped down the steps. “Tinker Bell?” Milori questioned, even as Tink began to investigate the perch.

Aubin looked down at her calmly and she gave the Snowy Owl a distracted wave as she continued to look. “Tinker Bell, what are you doing?” Milori asked and he sounded a little closer, but Tink was distracted.

Something. Something to tinker with but she wasn’t sure _what_.

“Uh, looking at this. I mean, I’m a Tinker, but sometimes Fairy Mary says I get _inventive_ , and she says that a tad oddly, but I was mostly looking. I mean, if this _works_ , and it seems like it does, then I don’t really want to mess with it, excuse me Aubin, thank you,” she explained and gave a nod to the Snowy Owl when he shuffled a little to the side so she could look how it was built together.

“But if I can _improve it_ , I might try that. But with permission, of course,” she continued to explain from under the platform, though at the last line she popped her head out so she could see Milori.

“I…see. Improve how?” Milori questioned and Tink frowned a little before she slipped back under it.

“Well, add some supports. As I said, this is well constructed and good the way it is. But there was a slight…I don’t know. Something’s off though. I mean, I don’t…I’ll need my drafting table. Just…something,” Tink explained and tilted her head slightly as she looked up at the underneath of the platform.

Milori made a soft sound at that. “Alright. It isn’t a collapsing something, is it?” he responded.

“Oh, oh no. Just…something. Maybe to make it easier? Maybe…I don’t know,” Tink said as she carefully wiggled her way back out, her hood falling off as she did so.

She then got to her feet and brushed herself off before she reached up to make sure her earmuffs were back over her ears, then flipped up her hood with a smile up at Milori. “Ah, that’s why Dewey said something about a jacket or a sweater vest,” he remarked with a soft chuckle, shaking his head slightly.

Tink felt her ears heating up under the earmuffs and nodded a little. “This is actually the coat. It has a lot of warm air tucked into it!” she added as she tugged a little at the coat.

“Wherever did you get the idea from?” Milori asked as he began to walk to his, most likely, house.

Tink was a little distracted by the frost flower and had reached out with a gloved--the gloves were new--hand to hover over one. “Oh, well, I had crossed the Border because I was curious and my wing kinda got a little frozen, but I was fine. Well, that time I was fine and decided I needed to keep my wings warm. Well, I knew that the Fairies wore coats over on the Mainland to help with Autumn, so I took that idea, only warmer! And with enough room for my wings, while still keeping them really warm so they didn’t freeze. Again,” Tink explained, though her voice got a little quiet at the end hand withdrawing from the frost flower to wrap around her waist.

That was possibly why her wing had broken. Because she had been still healing from that first one, her first _stupid_ leap across, without any preparation, ignoring the rule because she thought she knew better, and she gave an idle shrug as she looked down at her feet, arms wrapped around her waist as she kicked a little at the snow.

“Let’s go inside,” Milori offered softly and Tink nodded a little as she walked into the house, the door held open for her.

As she walked through, she made herself unwrap her arms from her waist and made herself smile as she stepped into what was likely Milori’s home.

* * *

“Ya know,” Rosetta panted out from where she was collapsed next to the stream, “Maybe trying to chase the _Fast-Flyin’ Talent Fairy_ wasn’t the _best_ idea we ever had.”

“No, it wasn’t,” Iridessa gasped out as SIlvermist groaned, pressing her face against Iridessa’s shoulder.

“Okay, I will admit, didn’t think this one through,” Fawn admitted, sounding just as out of breath.

“ _This one_?” Rosetta demanded as she made herself sit up to glare at Fawn.

“Please don’t bring up the fox kits again,” Silvermist said.

“Well, that too,” Fawn said.

“I will throw mud at you,” Rosetta growled though panted breaths.

“Oh, cool!” Fawn said as she practically _catapulted_ into a seated position and Rosetta let out a frustrated scream before she flopped back onto the ground.

* * *

It was nearing sunset when Milori began to usher Tinker Bell back to Aubin, the Snowy Owl having returned as the sun began to make its descent. She seemed almost reluctant to do so and, admittedly, Milori was as well.

It was obvious that, despite what Clarion had said at the beginning of this, Tinker Bell had backslid, if she had taken any forward steps at all.

She was…not adjusting. She was both in denial and acceptance and above all else, ignoring it, trying to pretend that it wasn’t barely a month ago she had lost her wing. That she was obviously _pretending_ to be okay, even around Milori.

She would start to teeter on the edge of either breaking down or lashing out before she pulled herself back from the edge. It had happened often while she visited, mostly trying to tinker without her tools while Milori tried to get her to talk.

He should have known it wouldn’t work, as they were far too much alike.

Like Periwinkle was far too much like Clarion. It was why he had named her Periwinkle after all.

It was Clarion’s favorite flower.

What did it say about them, adopting the fairies, who happened to be twins, that were most like who they had missed most?

Tinker Bell sighed quietly as they drew closer to where Autumn met Winter and he was surprised to see a fairy zipping back and forth on the Autumn side of the tree bridge.

He was just as surprised to hear a quiet groan from Tinker Bell as she seemed to collapse in on herself.

Milori quickly adjusted his grip on the necklace to his one-handed grip so he could wrap an arm protectively around Tinker Bell. He was about to ask if she was alright when she forcibly perked up, her voice far too cheerful and bright for how she had _collapsed_ in on herself, lifting a hand to wave as they drew closer. “Hi Vidia!” she called.

The fairy zipping back and forth madly paused, leaping practically straight into the air before she landed. “Tink!” Vidia called back, sounding far more relieved than she should be.

Aubin carefully landed and Milori got down first before he helped Tinker Bell down, feeling his forehead furrow slightly at the way she clutched, briefly at his elbows. She then let him go and stepped back, giving him a proper bow. “Thank you, Lord Milori,” Tinker Bell said quietly.

“Remember to return on your next low exercise day. We still need to work on the jumps,” Milori said easily.

Tinker Bell briefly looked confused before she perked up, honestly this time, as it registered. “Of course, Lord Milori,” Tinker Bell answered and gave another bow.

She then turned and moved across the bridge, overly-cautious the entire time. The moment she was across the Border, however, Vidia was swooping around, Tinker Bell suddenly up in her arms.

“Vidia!” Tinker Bell exclaimed.

Milori’s fingers twitched slightly at that and Aubin fluffed up briefly, talons digging into the snow.

“Easy. There’s nothing we can do,” Milori said quietly, resting a gentle hand on the owl’s leg.

Aubin clacked his beak at that and Vidia flew off with barely a proper good-bye, Tinker Bell still in her arms.

Once they were out of sight, Milori returned to Aubin’s back and the pair flew back to the other side of the mountain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I like the way this chapter worked far too much to try to edit it around to show Tink dodging Milori's attempts to get her to talk, especially since we'll see a lot more of that in later chapters.
> 
> And stuff with Vidia. (And more Terrence and Blaze, of course.)
> 
> (And the Crows. Oh, I can't wait. I think a few of you are gonna _love_ it.)


	7. End of a Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very Milori focused at first, but with a bit of Tink

Milori sighed quietly as he walked into Dewey’s library after returning Tinker Bell to the Border, where Vidia had been waiting.

The quiet groan Tinker Bell had made, before perking right up, calling Vidia’s name, told Milori a great deal about _why_ she was so badly off. Admittedly, it had barely been a month, but from what he had heard, Tinker Bell was someone who…well, not someone who easily accepted defeat.

The fact she had been excited, then melancholy, then distracting herself, had been just made him concerned, but also unsure of how to help.

Having been there before made him feel shockingly ill-equipped to handle _helping_ someone learn to live with a broken wing.

He paused to give Fiona’s nose a gentle pet as he walked past her, calling out “Dewey?” as he did so.

“Back here,” Dewey called and Milori slowly made his way to the back of the Library.

Dewey was at the book stand, writing in the large ice book Dewey used to write down all of Fairy Knowledge so it could be put into Warm Fairy hands.

“So, how bad is it?” Dewey asked as Milori drew closer.

“I could be coming to say ‘hello’ and ‘howdy do’,” Milori remarked quietly.

“Of course you could. That is why you are addressing me as ‘Dewey’ and not ‘The Keeper’,” Dewey responded in a dry tone.

Milori gave a soft laugh at that and exhaled slowly. “Bad. She…she’s seems so focused on making everyone _think_ she’s okay that I believe she’s forgotten that she’s allowed _not_ to be okay,” he said quietly and Dewey muttered something under his breath at that.

“If you’re going to make remarks, I would like to hear them,” Milori said.

“Reminds me of you. Of course, we all _knew_ you weren’t okay. Because who would be after a broken wing?” Dewey said, pointing his ice quill at Milori.

“Is she doing an _entire_ you?” he asked and Milori gave a soft, humorless, laugh.

“No, she is not. And quite fed up with everyone reminding her to do her wing exercises and asking about it. She said something about how she only needed to be told something once and not reminded. There was quite a bit of shouting at that point. I believe there might be a story behind that particular statement,” he answered quietly.

“Well, good. Just everything else,” Dewey said as he focused on the book again.

“How did you do it?” Milori asked quietly.

“Do what?” Dewey responded.

“Help me.”

Dewey paused in writing and looked over at Milori. “Patience, mostly. You weren’t really up for listening or ‘it’ll be okay’. Or anything really soft and gentle, I guess. You were angry, for a long time, though that might have to do with losing Queen Clarion,” he said quietly and Milori gave a small nod of acknowledgement of that.

“So, there was that. You wanted to be mad, but you weren’t really letting yourself. Oh, and how _furious_ you would get, gritting your teeth when people went all pitying on you. Or tried to convince you to have a house closer to the ground. I still sometimes think you and Aubin struck up such an accord to spite the other fairies,” he answered with a grin.

“It was not out of spite,” Milori argued quietly.

Dewey chuckled and then sighed quietly. “Just…go about it in your own way. And maybe help her vent a little more, get angry. That might just open the floodgate for everything else,” Dewey offered and Milori sighed quietly.

“How…”

Milori cut himself off. “Milori, I may be among the oldest fairies here, but not even _I_ know the Winter Woods as well as you. You hid. You hid until it was too late. We tried, but you didn’t want to be helped, you wanted to hide,” Dewey responded quietly and he glowered at Milori slightly.

“I’m still upset with you about that,” he added.

Milori sighed quietly and nodded. “Yes Dewey,” he responded quietly.

“Very upset,” Dewey reiterated and then carefully lowered his quill to continue to write.

Milori just nodded again and slowly walked over to sit down on the ground, leaning against the book podium’s base.

“Milori?” Dewey questioned.

“Fairies aren’t meant to bottle things up like this Dewey. She’s going to explode, and I’m worried what that will do to her,” Milori said softly.

“She’ll be fine,” Dewey reassured.

Milori didn’t voice his doubts about that.

* * *

Tink exhaled quietly as Vidia carefully set her down in front of her house, sunset painting the sky in autumn hues. “Soooo, how was your trip to the Winter Woods?” Vidia asked.

“Great! I’m going back in two days,” Tink responded and Vidia practically leapt in the air before she zipped back down.

“Two days? _Two days_? Is that even safe? Does a Healing Talent Fairy know? Are you _sure_ it is in two days? What about your wings? Shouldn’t you check with a Healing Talent _before_ this?” Vidia asked, but in such a rapid-fire fashion that Tink barely had time to answer.

Tink rubbed her temples and Vidia made a noise. “Vidia, my appointment with the Healing Talent Fairies is tomorrow to check on my wings. I can ask then, though I am positive, since there are two days between now and then, it’ll be _fine_. Besides, I’m with Lord Milori! I’ll be perfectly safe,” Tink said quietly.

Vidia didn’t seem to calm down and instead seemed to panic more. She opened her mouth, possibly to argue and Tink quickly cut her off, purely because she was too tired to try and argue. “Look, Vidia, I’m a little tired right now. Can we talk more tomorrow? After I’ve gotten some sleep?” Tink asked and Vidia frowned.

“I need someone to take me to my appointment,” she added and Vidia gave a nod.

“Alright. See you tomorrow!” Vidia said and took off.

Tink quickly rushed into her house and shut the door quickly behind her, slamming the door shut. Blaze let out a startled buzz and zipped up as Tink slowly slid down to sit against the door, ignoring the way it made her wings ache more.

Blaze slowly flew over, he landed next to her, making a little sad noise.

“Blaze, you’re not going to start suddenly hovering and worrying, right?” Tink asked quietly and Blaze quickly sat up slightly to puff his chest out and salute, before nodding in agreement.

“Thanks, buddy,” Tink said softly and carefully picked him up to hug him close.

Blaze let out a cheerful chirp and buried himself slightly into the hug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter; Tink has a follow-up appointment and then hides


End file.
